Duck-call.



No. 795,493. PATENTED JULY 25, 1905. C. H. DITTO.

DUCK CALL.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.28.1905.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE.

CHARLES HARRIS nITTo, or KEITHSBURG, ILLINOIS.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 28, 1905- Serial No. $17,664.

Patented July 25, 1905.

device of this kind which is of simple construction and adapted to be readily adjusted or tuned so as to lmitate the voice of differents ecies of wild ducks.

'Re e'rence'is to be had to the accompanying drawings, formin a part of this specification, in which simi archaracters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a longitudinalcentral section taken through the device. Fig. 2 is a section similar to Fig. 1, but at right angles with the plane in which Fig. 1 is taken. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the device. Fig. i'is a perspective view representing one of the parts, and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the reed or tongue which assists in producing the re.- quired sound.

Referring more particularly to the parts, 1 represents a body or barrel of cylindrical form and preferably constructed of wood or metal, the same being formed with a cylindrical inner chamber 2, substantially closed at one end by a transverse head 3, which head is provided with an opening 4, as shown.

The wall of the barrel is preferably enlarged or increased in thickness toward the butt 5 opposite the head 3. At the butt 5 the bore 0 the chamber 2 is preferably provided with a bushing 6. 'At this point a sleeve 7 'of c lindrical form is provided, whichfits snug y into the bushing 6, as indicated, in such a manner that it may be adjusted out or in, as may be desired. This sleeve 7 affords means for mounting the reed 8 in position. The construction of this reed is shown most clearly in Fig. 5. It consists of a tongue preferably formed of hardrubber, celluloid, or similar material, and this tongue preferablytapers slightly'fi'om its butt 9 toward its forward extremity.

In Fig. 4 is illustrated a bill 10, which co- 0 erates with the-reed 8 in order to produce t e note. This bill is preferably formed of wood, elongated, as shown, andpreferablf half round, as indicated. It is provided on its inner face with a channel or groove 11, which is formed between longitudinal cheeks or faces 12. As indicated most clearly in Fig. 1, the thickness of the bill toward'its extremity is reduced in a direction substantially at right angles to the plane of the faces 12.

The butt 13 of the-bill 10 is adapted to be received within the sleeve 7 aforesaid, the curved face of the said butt conforming, substantially, to the curvature of the inner face of the sleeve, as Will be readily understood.

The reed 8 is held at its butt 9 against the cheeks 1-2 of the bill by means of a semiciroular block or plug 14, which is forced into the sleeve, as shown in Fig. 1, for this purpose, the flat face 15 of the said block resting upon the upper side of the reed, as indicated.

The note produced by the .call depends upon the longitudinal adjustment of the reed upon the bill and also upon the amount of projection of the sleeve 7 beyond the butts of the reed and bill. Thus the sleeve when projecting as indicated in Fi s. 1 and 2 forms a bell 16, which ver much .mfluences the charactor of the soun produced; The character of the note produced is also influenced to a certain extent by the distance of the for- Ward extremity of the reed from the opening 4. Hence it will be seen that there are substantially three factors u on which depends the character of the soun roduced.

When it is desired to ad ust the parts, the

sleeve 7 is withdrawn, bringing with'it bodily the bill 10 and the reed 8, together with the plug 14, which retains the parts within the sleeve. Having-the parts removed in this manner,the position of the reed with respect to the bill may be-adjusted as desired and the assembled reed, bill, and plug may be positioned accurately at any point desired within the sleeve. In this way the depth of the bell 16. is accurately controlled. The reed, bill, and plug having been attached in the sleeve in the manner suggested, the sleeve is then inserted at the butt of the barrel and forced into the bushing to' any distance desired, so that the forward extremity of the reed will approach su fiiciently to the opening 4 to produce the desired note. It will be seen that this distance of the reedfrom the opening 4 maybe adjusted without necessitating a change in the depth of the bell 16- The call described is evidently of very simple construction and affords means for making the different adjustments which produce the note independently ofeach other. At the same time the construction is such that the arts are mounted very simply and ac cessl l withinthe barrel. h

- Wit a call of this kind the-principal species of wildducks-such as the mallard, intail, widgeon, teal, &c.ma'ybereadily ca ed, the device being adjusted, as described, so as to suit the species of duck being called and also so as to adapt the device to the peculiarities of the sportsman using the call.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a device of the class described, in combination, a barrel having a bore, a sleeve slidably received in the extremity of said bore, a bill presenting a longitudinal channel and having its buttrwithin said sleeve, a reed disposed against the face of said bill at said channel, and a plug received within said sleeve and holding said reed and'said bill therein, said plu bill and sleeve being adjustable longitudinally within said barrel.

2. In a device of the class described, in combination, a barrel having a bore and a transverse head in the forward extremity thereof, said head having an opening therethrough, a slidable sleeve mounted in said bore at the extremity of saidbarrel remote from said head, a plu a bill and a reed clamped between said u and said bill, said lug, said reed and sai b being adjustable ongitudinally within said sleeve.

name to this specification in the presence of two subscribin witnesses.

S. D. KIRKPATRICK.

In testimony whereof I have signed my 

